Teenage pregnancies and pre-marital sex alarming in Southern Leyte

By ERNA SY GORNE, (PIA Southern Leyte)
October 1, 2006

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte   –  Rampant teenage pregnancies and pre-marital sex occurrences alarms the provincial government here as they seek to synchronize all the activities and services addressed to the needs of the youth sector, Population Officer Velma Kangleon disclosed in a phone interview with PIA recently.

Provicial Health Officer I Dr. Zenaida Abiera, Chief of the Technical Services of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) scheduled a forum on Adolescence Reproductive Health among the non-government organizations whose services are child-centered, the academe, media and youth leaders in selected municipalities by the end of the this month.

IPHO led in the implementation of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan # 009-2004 on Reproductive Health Program and Responsible Parenthood to help the youth cope with the complexities of adolescence among the youth.

According to Kangleon, the latest result on the the Pinoy Youth survey in close coordination with Population Commission was staggering as Eastern Visayas ranks second in the prevalence of teenage pregnancies and pre-marital sex incidence next to Metro Manila to include Southern Leyte.

It was also learned that teenage pregnancies does not exempt children at elementary level specifically those who have already their monthly period, Kangleon reported.

The provincial government has to act swiftly and push for united efforts for the existing NGOs namely the World Vision, Kinderhilfe Philippinen, PLAN International, College of Maasin Extenxion, German Technical Cooperation and leading learning institutions to work as towards the social problem that they hope to resolve hence the scheduled forum.

She further disclosed that media plays crucial role in the said social dilemma as they were considered as surrogate parents to the youth today.  While it is given that what the young people watch over televisions, books, magazines, internet, among other media channels, are most likely they follow suit. Sad to note that unregulated lewd and indecent films that can viewed in almost all mediums of communication and unfortunately accessible to the youth beyond control, triggers their desires.